Reynolds 

Formula  for  making 
Porcelain  Pictures 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


REYNOLDS' 


FORMULA.     FOR 


CAMERA  CLUB  LIBRARY 

Catalogued  A'Tncfexed  193O  by 
Hal.  D.  Bernstein,  Librarian 

Entered  accordi  \g  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865,  by  GEOEGE  L. 

REYNOLDS,  .      the  Clerk's  office  of  the   District  Court  of  the 

United     v.:ites  of  the  Southern  District  of  New- York. 


WlLLABD      &      CO.,      PUBLISHEUS,      No.       522       BEOADWAY. 


I 


TK 


'7#id   i.     .«JifMHffCK£&:   flli  .fw»?«;ifftifc  fr 

HAVING  for  a  year  past  been  engaged  in  making  the 
Porcelain  Pictures,  I  have  tried  within  that  time  a  multi- 
tude of  experiments  with  a  view  to  the  construction  of  a 
convenient  and  suitable  box  in  which  to  make  them,  as 
well  as  to  produce  a  formula  that  would  enable  the  careful 
artist  to  work  with  comparative  certainty.  The  former 
object  I  have  more  than  accomplished,  for  I  have  succeeded 
in  constructing  a  box  that  is  not  only  most  perfectly 
adapted  to  the  production  of  the  Porcelain  pictures,  but 
which  fills  a  void  in  the  photographic  apparatus  that  at  the 
present  time  is  quite  as  essential  as  the  porcelain  process, 
viz. :  the  production  of  large  negatives  from  small  ones. 

It  is  also  adapted  to  the  production  of  glass  transparen- 
cies for  Stereoscopes. 

In  publishing  my  formula  I  have  no  higher  ambition  to 
gratify  as  a  writer,  than  the  use  of  such  language  as  shall 
make  myself  understood.  Although  I  might  with  long-spun 
theories  in  relation  to  the  chemical  effects  with  which  I  have 
met  during  the  course  of  my  experiments  fill  a  large  volume, 
yet  I  deem  it  of  more  profit  to  the  practical  artist  to  place 
before  him  only  such  things  as  pertain  directly  to  the  pro- 


duction  of  such  pictures  as  he  may  be  called  upon  to  make. 
And  while  I  aim  to  be  brief,  I  shall  endeavor  to  be  so 
clear  in  my  explanations  as  not  to  be  misunderstood. 

I  am  not  vain  enough  to  think  my  process  for  making 
these  pictures  the  best  that  ever  will  be,  for  if  I  did 
think  so,  I  should  experiment  no  more ;  but  on  the  con- 
trary shall  continue  my  experiments.  I  have  produced 
the  Porcelain  pictures  in  several  different  ways,  yet  I  shall 
only  give  in  full  that  which  I  have  found  to  produce  the 
best  and  most  certain  results,  and  am  quite  certain,  that 
the  principles  upon  which  the  Camera  Attachment  is 
founded  must  be  used  if  fine,  large  pictures  are  produced 
from  small  negatives. 

I  shall  endeavor  to  throw  out  some  hints  and  give  the 
result  of  some  experiments  yet  incomplete,  that  may, 
I  hope,  have  a  tendency  to  set  the  minds  of  such  artists 
as  investigate;  at  work.  And  to  him  who  shall  succeed  in 
producing  the  better  process,  I  will  cheerfully  join  the  fra^ 
ternal  brotherhood  in  awarding  all  honor  due,  and  ample 
consideration  for  services  and  expenditures.  For  I  am  not 
among  that  number,  who,  never  having  spent  time  and  toil, 
sleepless  nights  and  the  hard-earned,  almighty  dollar  in 
searching  after  chemical  mysteries,  are  ready  to  set  him 
down  who  does  make  a  discovery  that  is  a  benefit  to  the 
world  in  general  and  to  the  artist  in  particular,  by  gratifying 
the  former  and  enriching  the  latter,  as  being  selfish,  uncha- 
ritable and  mean  if  he  attempts  to  get  any  other  reward 
than  the  scanty  praise  he  shall  receive  from  those  whom  he 
benefits,  by  gratuitously  publishing  the  result  of  his  labors. 


To  such  as  attempt  to  work  the  process  I  have  here  laid 
down,  I  would  say  :  Do  not  be  discouraged  with  your  first 
attempt  if  it  should  be  a  failure.  The  process  requires 
the  utmost  care  and  neatness,  and  it  is  just  as  sure  to  work 
in  your  hands  as  in  mine,  and  if  you  wish  an  ocular  proof 
of  what  the  process  carefully  worked  will  do,  send  one 
dollar  as  directed  in  the  circular  and  I  will  send  you  a 
specimen  well  worth  the  cost.  All  letters  should  be  ad- 
dressed to  mej  at  Newburgh,  N.  Y. 

G.  L.  REYNOLDS. 


Chapter  I. 


How  USED. — The  first  thing  to  be  looked  after  is  to  see 
that  this  box  is  properly  attached  to  the  camera  box  upon 
which  it  is  to  be  used.  It  may  readily  be  attached  to  a  box 
of  any  size ;  if  it  is  desired  to  be  used  upon  a  one-fourth  or 
one-half  size,  take  two  round-headed  screws,  having  a  square 
shoulder,  such  as  are  found  in  the  brass  springs  in  the  front 
of  the  box,  and  insert  one  in  each  side  of  the  front  end  of 
your  camera  box,  at  an  equal  distance  from  a  perpendicular 
line  that  would  pass  through  the  centre  of  your  tube  when 
screwed  upon  your  box  and  in  full  working  order. 

Observe  that  these  two  screws  be  placed  at  just  such 
distance  from  the  top  and  bottom  of  your  camera  box,  that 
when  the  slots  of  the  brass  pieces  on  the  back  end  of  the 
Camsra  Attachment  rest  upon  them,  the  centre  of  your 
camera  tube  shall  be  exactly  horizontal  with  the  centre  of 
the  negative  when  occupying  its  place  in  the  front  end  of 


the  Camera  Attachment.  Put  the  two  screws  in  so  nearly 
up  to  the  head  as  to  allow  no  chance  for  the  box  to  droop 
at  the  front  end  when  resting  upon  them ;  for  unless  it 
occupies  a  position  parallel  with  the  camera  box  to  which 
it  is  attached,  the  negative  will  not  hold  a  parallel  relation 
to  the  object  glass  in  the  camera  or  to  the  plate  in  the 
tablet  upon  which  the  image  is  to  be  formed:  and  only 
when  such  a  relation  exists  can  there  be  obtained  the  sharp- 
est anr!  best  results. 

When  you  have  the  connection  made  according  to  the 
best  of  your  mechanical  skill,  test  your  accuracy  in  the 
following  manner,  viz.:  Take  a  plain  glass,  say  a  one- 
fourth  size,  and  put  a  small  spot  exactly  on  its  centre,  and 
place  it  in  the  front  end  of  the  Camera  Attachment,  the 
same  as  if  it  were  a  negative,  then  collodionize  a  plate  and 
put  it  in  the  tablet  and  take  a  picture  of  the  spot,  and  if 
it  appears  exactly  upon  the  centre  of  the  plate  the  connec- 
tions are  rightly  made.  If  they  are  not  right,  you  have 
now  an  infallible  guide  to  direct  in  the  re-arrangement. 
The  same  directions  are  to  be  observed  if  it  is  to  be  at- 
tached to  a  four-fourth,  an  eight-fourth,  or  even  a  copying 
camera  capable  of  receiving  an  eleven  by  fourteen  plate. 

The  No.  2  size  Camera  Attachment  will  receive  as  large 
as  one-half  size  negatives,  and  for  all  the  ordinary  purposes 
of  enlargement,  and  for  all  Porcelain  work  is  large  enough. 
But  if  four-fourth  negatives  are  to  be  used  or  stereoscope 
transparencies  made,  then  the  No.  1  size  will  be  required. 

The  limit  of  the  size  of  porcelain  pictures,  or  reproduced 
negatives,  that  may  be  made  by  either  No.  1  or  No.  2  box, 


depends  only  upon  the  capacity  and  extension  of  the  box 
to  which  it  is  attached.  If  used  upon  an  ordinary 
four-fourth  box,  a  porcelain  picture,  or  an  enlarged  nega- 
tive, four-fourth  size,  may  be  made  from  a  card  size  with  a 
one-fourth  size  tube.  Although  the  same  size  tube  may 
be  used  to  reproduce  an  eleven  by  fourteen  negative,  yet  on 
a  negative  of  that  size  a  half-size  tube  is  preferable. 

As  the  pictures  produced  in  these  boxes  are  usually 
made  by  a  very  strong  light,  the  tube  may  be  diaphragmed 
to  a  very  small  opening,  and  the  picture  much  improved  in 
sharpness  where  enlargement  is  required.  The  full  apera- 
ture  of  the  tube  in  a  cloudless  day,  with  properly  sensitized 
collodion,  silver  bath  and  developer  in  harmony,  and  the 
negative  of  proper  density,  will  require  an  exposure  of 
only  about  ten  or  fifteen  seconds  for  a  porcelain  picture; 
yet  for  some  reasons  which  will  be  given  under  another 
head,  I  prefer  to  give  an  exposure  of  not  less  than  three 
to  five  minutes.  Therefore  the  aperature  may  be  reduced 
to  about  the  size  of  a  ten  cent  piece,  (if  I  remember  the 
size.) 

Do  not,  however,  reduce  the  aperature  of  the  camera,  as 
is  often  done  by  putting  the  diaphragm  some  distance  in 
advance  of  the  front  lens  of  the  tube :  the  most  proper 
and  effective  place  for  the  diaphragm  is  between  the  lenses  ; 
the  proper  color  for  it,  black  and  without  a  gloss,  and  the 
proper  shape  of  the  aperature,  round. 


o 


-)     *ft"i*ai  .ni?,        .s 

SECTIOX  I. 

VIGNETTING. 

We  will  now  pass  to  notice  the  manner  of  Vignetting  the 
porcelain  picture.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Vignetting 
apparatus,  as  used  in  the  Camera  Attachment,  is  not  as 
represented  in  the  engraving  accompanying  this  formula. 
This  is  owing  to  an  improvement  I  have  made  since  the 
first  model  was  constructed.  Notwithstanding,  the  pat- 
ent will  embrace  the  improvement  and  the  box  as  it  now 
stands.;  otfo^f 

The  operator,  I  trust,  will  readily  see  how  the  Vig- 
netting portion  of  the  box  is  to  be  arranged  for  use. 
But  as  it  is  my  object  to  leave  nothing  unexplained  that 
will  give  a  possibility  of  failure  to  any  one  for  want  of  full 
explanations,  I  deem  it  best  to  treat  the  whole  matter  as 
if  I  took  it  for  granted  that  my  formula  and  box  were  in 
the  hands  of  a  beginner.  Indeed,  it  wonld  be  strange  if 
it  should  in  all  cases  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  old  practi- 
tioner ;  and  if  it  docs  not,  well  might  such  an  one  censure 
me  for  not  being  more  explicit  in  my  explanations.  I  may 
better  tell  some  what  they  know  already,  than  neglect  to 
tell  some  others  what  would,  with  a  few  words,  save  them 
a  great  deal  of  trouble.  I  am  striving  to  bear  in  mind,  as 
I  write,  the  difficulties  I  have  myself  encountered  in  the 
days  of  Daguerrcotyping,  while  attempting  to  work  from 
half-explained  formulas. 

All  processes,  however  minute  and  particular  the  writer 
may  be  in  his  explanations,  are  far  different  from  what  would 


10 

be  his  practical  instructions.  I  shall,  as  far  as  I  can,  an- 
ticipate your  failures  and  correct  them.  I  have  known  art- 
ists who  never  could  succeed  with  a  written  formula,  that 
would  acquire  a  full  knowledge  of  and  comprehend  the 
whole  theory  on  seeing  the  manipulations  once  gone 
through  with. 

If  a  little  digression  is  pardonable  here,  I  will  say 
that,  during  my  whole  photographic  experience,  I  have 
never  encountered  a  process  for  making  pictures  that 
required  so  nice  manipulations,  so  much  care  in  each 
particular  stage  of  the  process,  and  in  which,  if  the  process 
is  to  be  worked  successfully  without  practical  and  ocular 
demonstrations,  there  was  more  need  of  careful  and  par- 
ticular instructions  being  given,  than  in  the  process  I  have 
set  out  to  lay  before  you  in  written  working  order. 

Therefore,  if  you  are  disposed  to  accuse  me  of  taking  too 
much  notice  of  some  small  things,  there  may  be  some  one 
who  will  find  the  very  thing  you  complain  of  the  very 
thing  that  prevented  his  failure. 

Hundreds  have  already  attempted  to  make  the  por- 
celain picture,  from  some  brief  formula,  and  failed,  not 
perhaps  so  mnch  because  the  formula  was  incapable  of 
producing  a  good  picture  in  the  hands  of  the  one  who 
wrote  it,  as  because  the  points  at  which  failure  was 
most  likely  to  come  were  not  noted  down.  The  con- 
sequence was,  the  artist,  after  following  the  brief  direc- 
tions according  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  and  failing,  became 
discouraged  and  perhaps  doubted  if  such  a  formula  would 
produce  good  results ;  and  perhaps  his  doubts  were  well 


11 

founded  ;  but  most  likely  had  he  seen  the  same  formula 
worked  by  its  author  he  would  have  seen  vastly  different  re- 
sults. I  shall  endeavor  to  point  out,  as  plainly  as  1  can,  the 
places  where  failure  may  come,  under  each  step  as  they 
have  presented  themselves  to  me. 

The  square  piece  of  sheet  iron  belonging  to  the  Vignet- 
ting frame,  that  is  to  contain  the  BLENDER  or  piece  of 
blackened  pasteboard,  or  other  dark  material,  is  fixed  to 
detach  from  the  rod  for  convenience  of  packing,  and  should 
it  come  to  you  separated  from  it,  connect  them  and  pass 
the  rod  through  the  front  end  of  the  Camera  Attachment, 
leaving  the  square  piece  resting  perpendicularly  between 
the  negative  and  the  tube. 

The  notched  opening  or  blender  is  adjustable^  and 
when  occupying  its  proper  position  for  Vignetting,  should 
be  directly  in  front  of  the  centre  of  the  lens  and  at 
just  such  a  distance  from  it  as  will  produce  the  most 
gradual  blending  upon  the  negative  as  viewed  upon  the 
ground  glass ;  which  effect  will  usually  be  found  when 
a  very  small  opening  is  used,  the  points  in  the  opening 
of  the  blender  being  as  long  and  as  slender  as  possible, 
and  within  from  one  to  three  inches  of  the  tube.  This  is 
the  reason  of  the  change  being  made  from  the  original  model 
of  the  box,  which  did  not  allow  the  opening  to  approach 
near  enough  to  the  tube,  consequently  the  opening  was 
obliged  to  be  large  and  placed  at  so  great  a  distance  from 
the  tube  as  to  come  too  near  the  focal  point  of  the  instru- 
ment ;  therefore,  however,  much  of  the  rays  of  light  was 
broken  up  with  slender  points  in  the  opening ;  a  proper 


blending  or  small-sized  pictures  could  not  be  made,  for  the 
effect  was  the  same  as  those  obtain  who  for  want  of  a  suit- 
able box  set  their  negative  up  according  to  other  formulas 
and  copy  it  as  they  would  do  any  other  copying,  and  place 
the  Vignetting  board  in  the  camera  just  in  advance  of  the 
object  glass. 

I  therefore  give 
you  a  design  in 
the  annexed  cut. 
The  material  of 
which  it  is  made, 
is  of  thin  paper, 
pasted  on  a  thick 
piece,  having  an 
opening  in  the  thick 
piece  large  enough 
to  clear  the  point- 
ed opening,  and 
all  the  cuttings  in 
the  thin  piece,  as 
represented  in  the 


cut — A  being  the  thick  piece  and  B  the  thin.  The  large 
part  of  the  opening  should  vignette  the  shoulders.  This 
style  of  opening  is  more  particularly  adapted  to  vignetting 
bust,  single  pictures  ;  for  groups,  standing  figures,  <fcc., 
the  good  taste  of  the  artist  will  decide  upon  the  most  ap- 
propriate style  of  the  vignetting,  and  shape  the  apera- 
ture  in  accordance. 

Tn  making  these  blenders,  lay  out  your  design,  with  a 


13 

pencil,  then  lay  the  paper  on  a  piece  of  glass,  and  with  a 
sharp  knife  cut  from  the  points  outwards,  to  prevent  break- 
ing them  off,  as  they  should  be  preserved  as  sharp  as  pos- 
sible. 

Our  practice  has  led  to  the  conclusion  that  an  exposure 
of  from  three  to  five  minutes  produces  better  and  more 
gradual  blending  in  the  vignette,  and  the  half  tints  more 
properly  brought  out,  than  where  the  light  has  been  al- 
lowed to  impinge  but  a  moment  upon  the  plate.  We  barely 
make  the  suggestion,  and  leave  your  practice  to  prove  its 
correctness. 

No  matter  how  well  otherwise  the  picture  may  be  made, 
if  the  vignetting  is  harsh  and  abrupt,  one  of  the  most 
essential  beauties  is  lost.  I  am  satisfied,  there  can  be  no 
arrangement  made  of  the  vignetting  aperature  by  which 
the  tube  will  produce  such  beautiful  blending  as  you  will 
get  by  following  strictly  the  above  directions. 

There  is  with  each  instrument  one  Vignette  aperature 
of  about  the  size  that  will  be  most  needed,  but  any  artist 
can  cut  out  one  in  a  few  minutes  just  as  good  and  very 
likely  better  than  the  one  sent ;  you  have  only  one  thing  to 
bear  in  mind :  the  longer  and  more  slender  the  points  are, 
the  smaller  may  be  the  clear  opening,  and  the  more  beau- 
tiful will  be  the  blending  in  the  picture.  It  is  difficult  to 
get  them  made  as  slender  and  fine  as  I  make  them  for  my 
own  use,  and  if  they  were  thus  made  they  would  not  be 
likely  to  reach  you  without  being  spoiled. 

The  boxes  being  properly  attached,  the  negative  in  its 
place,  and  the  vignetting  apparatus  right,  the  proper  po- 


14 

sition  of  the  instrument  is  the  next  thing  to  be  consi- 
dered. 

To  guard  the  operator  against  a  carelessness  that  is  too 
frequently  indulged  in,  to  avoid  a  little  trouble,  I  will 
relate  an  incident  and  call  upon  the  operator  to  try  an 
experiment,  and  he  will  never  after  be  careless  in  the 
choice  of  a  position  for  his  camera.  Not  long  since  I  was 
giving  instructions  in  the  Porcelain  process  to  an  artist, 
and  while  I  was  out  he  attempted  to  make  a  picture.  But 
as  the  wind  was  blowing  considerably,  he  did  not  think 
proper  to  raise  the  window  and  elevate  the  instrument  to 
the  position  he  had  seen  me  work  it  in,  but  left  it  lying 
horizontally  on  the  table,  supposing  it  to  be  sufficient  if  the 
negative  was  only  directed  towards  an  out-door  light. 

On  entering  the  room  he  showed  me  a  picture  he  had  just 
made  and  desired  to  know  what  was  the  matter  with  it,  I 
at  once  saw  that  there  had  not  been  fair  play  between  the 
light  and  the  negative  ;  and  on  stepping  to  the  instrument 
and  seeing  its  position,  the  difficulty  was  at  once  solved. 
Directly  in  front  of,  and  not  far  distant  from  the  negative, 
was  a  red  building,  the  rays  from  which  had  destroyed  the 
picture.  Now,  with  the  instrument  lying  just  as  it  did,  had 
it  been  focussed  slightly  different,  a  picture  of  the  building 
instead  of  the  negative  would  have  appeared  upon  the 
plate,  consequently,  as  it  was,  an  indistinct  image  was  blend- 
ed with  the  negative  upon  the  plate;  yet  of  course  the 
image  of  the  negative  predominated,  because  the  focus  was 
taken  upon  it. 

Try   one  experiment  of  the  kind,  and  you  will  never 


15 

forget  to  follow  the  instructions  given.  The  instrument 
should  be  so  arranged  that  there  shall  be  no  interven- 
ing object  come  within  the  range  of  the  lenses,  the  nega- 
tive and  the  clear  sky  or  a  white  cloud,  which  is  even 
better  than  clear  sky.  I  contend  that  even  a  pane  of  glass 
intervening  is  detrimental  just  in  proportion  to  the  per  cent 
that  it  falls  short  of  a  perfect  transparency  and  its  close 
proximity  to  the  negative ;  although  its  per  cent  might  be 
too  small  to  make  any  perceptable  difference  in  the  picture. 
There  are  many  small  things  like  this  in  manipulating  these 
pictures,  which  each  of  itself  separately  considered,  is  of 
but  small  importance ;  yet,  combine  them  all  in  the  same 
picture,  and  the  effect  would  be  destructive. 


Chapter  II. 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  PLATE. 
The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is  preparation  of  the 
plate,  and  herein  is  where  cleanliness  and  care  will  prevent 
innumerable  failures.  Keep  the  tablets  clean,  and  occa- 
sionally coat  the  wood  parts  with  a  solution  of  gum  shellac 
dissolved  in  alcohol.  There  is  usually  one  side  of  the  plate 
that  has  received  the  smoothest  finish,  and  is  the  most  suit- 
able for  receiving  the  impression.  Treat  each  plate  before 
collodionizing  in  the  following  manner,  viz.:  Prepare  a 
solution  of  nitric  acid,  one  part ;  water,  twelve  parts,  and 
immerse  the  plates  in  it,  to  remain  for  an  indefinite  period 
of  time ;  if  new  plates,  one  hour,  or  even  a  shorter  period 
of  time  will  suffice,  whereas  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours 


16 

will  do  no  harm,  and  if  they  are  plates  that  have  had  pic- 
tures on,  they  should  have  as  much  time  in  the  acid  bath  as 
is  convenient.  When  sufficiently  acidified,  wrinse  them  well 
under  the  faucet  and  rub  them  with  a  cloth,  to  remove  from 
the  surface  whatever  may  adhere,  that  the  stream  of  water 
would  not.  A  small  block  or  stick,  about  a  foot  long,  two 
inches  wide  and  half  an  inch  thick,  padded  at  one  end,  will 
be  found  convenient  for  the  purpose  of  rubbing.  Now  com- 
plete the  wrinsing  with  water  until  entirely  free  from  specks, 
that  may  adhere  to  the  glass  and  be  a  detriment  to  the 
completed  picture.  It  is  best  to  have  for  this  last  washing 
filtered  or  well-settled  water,  and  keep  it  covered  and 
clean.  After  this  wrinsing,  and  immediately  while  the  plate 
is  wet,  flow  the  best  side  (which  in  the  Porcelain  glass  is 
usually  the  most  convex  side)  with  a  solution  made  thus : 
Albumen,  -  -  -  6  oz. 

Distilled  Water,       -        -    50  " 
Aqua  Ammonia,  2  "r  ^ 

Iodide  of  Potassium,  -  30  grs.  i)ila^ 
To  prepare  the  albumen,  take  the  whites  of  six  good-sized 
fresh  eggs  and  beat  them  to  a  froth.  If  properly  done, 
when  settled,  there  will  be  about  six  ounces.  To  facilitate 
the  settling,  a  portion  of  the  water  may  be  added  and  beat 
together.  Filter  the  above  solution  before  using,  and  in 
filtering  be  careful  not  to  get  air  bubbles  in  it,  to  prevent 
which,  put  a  strip  of  glass  iii  the  bottle  that  contains  the 
funnel,  for  the  end  of  it  to  rest  on,  that  the  liquid  may  not 
drop  into  the  bottle  and  form  bubbles,  for  they  are  apt  to 
remain  in  the  solution  and  form  bad  spots  on  the  surface  of 


CAMERA  CLUB  LIBRARV 

Catalogued  &  Indexed  193C 
Hal.  D.  Bernstein,  Librarian 

the  plate  when  flowing  it.  After  flowing  the  plate  with 
this  solution,  set  it  aside  in  a  place  free  from  dust  to  dry ; 
or  if  in  a  hurry,  dry  by  an  even  moderate  heat.  Any  num- 
ber of  these  glasses  may  be  prepared  ahead,  as  they  will 
keep  well  in  a  clean,  dry  place.  The  advantage  of  prepar- 
ing the  Porcelain  plate  in  this  particular  manner  is  that  the 
purity  and  whiteness  of  its  surface  may  be  best  preserved, 
for  the  slightest  stain  upon  the  surface  is  quite  fatal  to  the 
delicate  picture.  While  we  have  a  remedy  for  removing 
the  usual  stains  that  come  upon  the  plate  (that  will  be 
mentioned  hereafter)  in  the  process  of  manipulation,  there 
are  frequently  stains  upon  the  glass  that  no  amount  of  rub- 
bing will  remove,  and  that  will,  unless  thus  treated,  appear 
when  brought  in  contact  with  the  developer. 

While  I  recommend  this  as  the  best  method  of  getting 
a  clean  Porcelain  plate,  I  also  believe  it  to  be  the  best  mode 
of  treating  glass  for  negatives,  and  acknowledge  with  thank- 
fulness my  obligations  to  Mr.  Abbott,  a  well-kown  and  first 
class  photographer  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  for  my  knowledge  of  it. 

SECTION   II. 

THE  NEGATIVE. 

The  negative  is  the  next  thing  to  be  looked  after,  and  as 
it  may  be  considered  the  most  important  of  any  other  single 
thing  connected  with  the  process,  I  will  endeavor  to  give 
the  best  description  I  can  of  the  kind  of  negative  required, 
as  well  as  the  best  mode  of  producing  it.  Although  a  very 
pleasing  picture  may  be  produced  from  the  ordinary  photo- 
graph negatives,  when  they  are  sharp  and  well  defined  in 


18 

the  shadows ;  but  if  the  high-lights  of  the  negative  are 
very  opaque  or  so  much  so  as  give  clear  whites  on  albumen 
paper,  when  they  are  used  for  Porcelain  work,  the  shadows 
become  too  dark  before  the  middle-tints  are  brought  out. 
The  less  contrast  between  the  high-lights  and  shadows  of 
the  negative,  the  more  perfectly  will  the  middle-tints  appear 
in  the  Porcelain  picture,  therefore  the  proper  negative  for 
a  finely-developed  Porcelain  is  a  thin  one  in  which  the  high- 
lights are  well  defined  and  the  shadows  not  very  trans- 
parent. Now  such  negatives  are  easily  produced,  and  in 
fact  many  artists  find  more  difficulty  in  producing  intense 
than  thin  negatives.  Many  negatives  are  daily  thrown  away 
as  useless  for  making  photographs  that  would  make  first- 
class  Porcelain  pictures.  The  condition  of  the  silver  bath, 
collodion  and  developer  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in 
producing  the  kind  of  negatives  desired  ;  and  their  relative 
conditions^  are  not  the  same  as  when  photograph  negatives 
are  required.  Almost  all  artists  have  on  hand  collodion 
that  has  been  rejected  on  account  of  not  possessing  the 
proper  qualities  for  intensity  that  will  produce  the  best  of 
negatives  for  the  Porcelain  picture.  If,  however,  it  is  to 
be  made  expressly,  the  following  will  be  found  to  possess 
the  requisite  qualities,  viz. : 

PLAIN  COLLODION. — No.  1. 

16  oz.  95  per  ct.  Alcohol ;  16  oz.  Concentrated  Sulphuric 
Ether ;  340  grs.  Gun  Cotton. 

DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  the  cotton  in  the  above  quantity 
of  alcohol  and  ether,  then  add  16  oz.  more  ether  and  let  it 


19 

stand  three  or  four  days  to  settle,  then  pour  off  the  clear 
portion  for  iodizing. 

IODIZING  SOLUTION. — No.  2. 

16  oz.  Alcohol ;  100  grs.  Bromide  Cadmium  ;  250  grs. 
Iodide  of  Ammonium. 

DIRECTIONS.  —  Add  the  Bromide  and  Iodide  to  the  Al- 
cohol and  stir  it  with  a  glass  rod  until  the  alcohol  has 
become  saturated,  which  will  require  perhaps  five  minutes 
agitation,  then  pour  the  alcohol  off  into  another  bottle  and 
add  sufficient  of  distilled  water  to  the  undissolved  excitants 
to  dissolve  them,  and  add  this  to  the  alcohol  and  filter. 
Then  add  No.  2,  thus  prepared,  to  No.  1.  Let  the  whole 
settle  again,  and  it  is  ready  for  use. 

After  trying  this  collodion,  should  it  prove  too  intense  in 
the  Bath  as  used  for  Photograph  negatives,  add  to  a  small 
portion  of  the  new  some  old  collodion  that  is  highly  brom- 
idized.  If  still  the  negatives  do  not  possess  the  qualities 
before  described,  it  will  if  used  in  a  silver  bath  and  with  a 
developer  made  in  the  following  mariner. 

SILVEE  BATH. 
Nitrate  of  Silver,  5  oz.;  Distilled  Water,  64  oz.;  Glacial 

Acetic  Acid,  1  drachm. 

DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  the  whole  amount  of  silver  in  16 
oz.  of  the  water,  then  pour  out  8  oz.  into  a  separate  bottle 
or  graduate-glass,  and  by  the  aid  of  artificial  light,  or  in  the 
dark  room,  add  to  it  Iodide  of  Silver  sufficient  to  saturate  it. 
To  make  the  Iodide  of  Silver,  dissolve  in  1  oz.  of  water 
20  grs.  Nitrate  of  Silver,  and  add  15  grs.  Iodide  of  Ammo- 


20 

nium  ;  then  wash  in  the  following  manner,  viz. :  Add  8  oz. 
soft  water,  stir  it  well  and  let  it  settle ;  pour  off  the  water, 
add  water  again,  and  let  it  settle.  Repeat  this  operation 
of  adding  water  several  times,  and  lastly  add  the  precipi- 
tate to  the  8  oz.  silver  solution  and  shake  well.  Let  it  set- 
tle, and  filter  it  into  the  other  8  oz. ;  then  add  the  whole 
to  the  remaining  48  oz.  of  water,  and  after  adding  the  acid, 
filter  the  whole  and  it  is  ready  for  use. ' 

REMARKS. — The  water  of  which  the  bath  is  made  should 
be  distilled  if  possible.  Clean  ice  or  snow  is  the  best  sub- 
stitute. Hard  and  limy  water  should  be  rejected.  No 
white  deposit  should  be  left  after  dissolving  the  silver. 
When  the  bath  is  used  much  it  should  be  boiled  down 
about  once  a  week,  unless  a  very  large  quantity  of  solution 
is  used.  The  larger  the  quantity  of  solution  used  the  bet- 
ter, as  it  retains  its  working  qualities  longer.  When  you 
would  boil  a  bath,  add  to  it  its  own  volume  of  water  be- 
fore boiling,  in  order  to  dissolve  such  foreign  substances  as 
may  have  been  carried  into  it  that  are  soluble  in  water, 
that  they  may  be  carried  off  with  the  evaporation.  Boil 
in  an  evaporating  dish  until  the  solution  is  reduced  to  about 
one-eighth  its  original  volume.  Should  it  be  evaporated  to 
dryness,  no  particular  harm  is  done.  Now  add  distilled 
water  until  of  the  desired  strength,  as  tested  by  the  hydro- 
meter, and  filter.  It  should  stand,  by  test,  at  35  or  36  grs. 
to  the  oz.  The  bath  for  Porcelain  negatives  should  be 
rather  more  acid  than  is  generally  used  for  the  photograph 
— sufficiently  so  as  to  discover  the  change  in  litmus  paper 
the  moment  it  is  immersed  in  it. 


21 

;  bo  ;»M5i 


Chapter   III. 

DEVELOPMENT. 

•  :  'i'fl-  r  ;  iiio«»  .it  JU?  ,  *  i  .:  *.•  £-.         :  -  '  <T£j{  7^ffi 

DEVELOPER  FOR  PORCELAIN  NEGATIVES. 

Pro.  Sul.  Iron,  2|  ounces  ;  Water,  32  ounces  ;  Acetic 
Acid,  6  ounces;  Alcohol,  2  ounces. 

REMARKS.  —  Dissolve  the  Proto.  Sul.  of  Iron  in  the  water, 
add  the  acid  and  alcohol,  and  filter.  On  flowing  the  plate 
to  produce  a  Porcelain  negative,  do  not  forget  that,  where- 
as for  the  photograph  negative  you  aim  to  get  intensity,  in 
this  the  aim  is  for  the  opposite  ;  for  this  purpose  alcohol  is 
freely  added  to  the  developer,  for  the  purpose  mainly  of 
reducing  intensity.  Much  of  the  intensity  also  depends 
upon  the  manner  in  which  the  developer  is  flowed  over  the 
plate.  If  rushed  on  and  off  rather  suddenly,  the  free 
Nitrate  of  Silver  is  carried  off  before  the  developer  has  had 
time  to  combine  with  it  and  produce  the  intensity  that 
flowing  the  plate  carefully,  and  retaining  the  free  Nitrate 
upon  it,  would  have  done.  Yet  in  carrying  out  the  thing 
suggested  in  these  remarks,  care  and  judgment  must  be 
used  ;  for  if  the  free  Nitrate  be  entirely  and  suddenly  car- 
ried off,  the  effect  will  be  a  want  of  delineation  in  the 
shadows. 

A  bath  made  as  before  described  will  usually  work  very 
well  for  making  the  positives  on  Porcelain,  but  it  will 
usually  work  with  better  success  if  weaker.  From  30  to 
35  grs.  silver  to  the  oz.  water,  I  have  found  a  good  stand- 
ard when  treated  with  the  developers  hereafter  given  for 


22 

Porcelain  positives,  and  a  highly  bromidized  collodion.  I 
will  add  another  good  formula  for  making  collodion.  I 
work  this  as  well  as  the  former  with  good  success.  Some 
may  have  better  success  with  one,  and  some  with  the  other, 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  bath  and  developer. 

COLLODION. 

Alcohol,  12  ounces ;  Ether,  10  ounces ;  Iodide  of  Ammo- 
nium, 110  grains ;  Bromide  Potassium,  50  grains. 
DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  the  Bromide  in  as  little  water  as 
possible,  then  the  Iodide  in  the  same  water  ;  after  adding 
these  to  the  Alcohol  and  Ether,  filter,  unless  filtered  in  a 
collodion  filter.  The  funnel,  while  filtering,  should  be 
tightly  covered  with  a  glass  to  prevent  evaporation.  Add 
the  cotton,  as  you  use  it,  the  night  before.  It  should  not 
be  made  very  thick.  If  a  cotton  is  used  that  gives  a  tough, 
strong  fibre,  5  grs.  to  the  oz.  is  sufficient. 

DEVELOPER  FOR  PORCELAIN  POSITIVES. — No.  1. 
Protosulphate  of  Iron,  1  ounce  ;  Water,  32  ounces  ; 

Alcohol,  3  ounces. 

DIRECTIONS. — After  dissolving  the  iron  in  the  water,  add 
the  alcohol  and  filter.  Keep  this  for  a  stock  bottle.  Take 
out  each  morning  what  you  wish  to  use  for  the  day,  and  to 
every  10  oz.  add  1  oz.  Acetic  acid,  No.  8. 

DEVELOPER  FOR  POPCELAIN  POSITIVES. — No.  2. 

Pyrogalic  Acid,  42  grains  ;  Water,  16  ounces  ;  Acetic 

Acid,  2  ounces,  Alcohol,  1  ounce. 

DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  the  Pyrogalic  in  the  water,  add 
the  Acid  and  Alcohol,  and  filter. 


23 

REMARKS. — This  developer  requires  that  considerable 
more  time  be  given  in  the  Camera  than  when  the  iron  de- 
veloper is  used,  and  is  much  slower  in  its  action  upon  the 
silver,  but  gives  very  fine  delineations.  Be  sure,  however, 
that  you  get  pure  Pyrogalic  acid. 

The  same  may  be  said  in  regard  to  developing  the  Por- 
celain picture  as  has  formerly  been  said  in  regard  to  de- 
veloping the  negative,  so  far  as  concerns  pouring  it  on 
hastily  and  rushing  it  across  the  plate.  But  while  in  the 
case  of  making  the  negative,  to  avoid  intensity,  it  is  often 
desirable  to  carry  off  a  portion  of  the  free  Nitrate  in  devel- 
opment, it  is  desirable  to  retain  it  all  upon  the  Porce- 
lain plate,  to  preserve  the  surface  view  of  the  image  re- 
gardless of  intensity,  as  upon  developing  the  Porcelain- 
image  properly  very  much  of  its  clearness  and  beauty  de- 
pends. It  is  necessary  to  be  somewhat  particular  in  our 
remarks  upon  this  head.  The  developing  solution  should 
be  used  in  a  large  mouth  bottle  and,  when  the  plate  is  to 
be  flowed,  place  the  nose  of  the  bottle  in  contact  with  one 
corner  of  the  plate,  and  flow  it  as  carefully  as  you  would 
with  collodion.  Yet  while  the  solution  should  not  be 
rushed  rapidly  across,  it  should  be  done  too  quickly  to 
allow  anything  like  a  cessation  of  its  flow.  And  there  is 
a  certain  appearance  in  the  image  during  this  part  of  the 
manipulation,  at  which  exact  time  the  development  should 
stop — hence  the  necessity  of  having  water  so  handy  that 
the  plate  can  be  immediately  flooded  or  immersed  to  stop 
the  action  of  the  developer  at  the  moment  the  picture  ar- 
rives at  the  appearance  spoken  of.  It  is  very  difficult  to 


24 

describe  the  looks  of  the  pictures,  as  I  see  it  in  my  mind, 
at  the  moment  it  should  be  stopped.  If  I  fail  to  make  it 
plain,  I  trust  a  little  practice  will  enable  the  artist  to  see 
clearly  the  appearance  so  easily  shown,  but  so  difficult  to 
describe.  The  picture,  when  it  first  begins  to  show  itself, 
is  a  faint,  white  image,  which  gradually  and  slowly  de- 
velops into  the  required  image.  When  it  arrives  to  that 
point  where  the  shadows  begin  to  pass  from  clearness  to 
fogginess,  and  just  as  the  delineations  in  the  shadows  be- 
gin to  appear,  but  before  they  are  fully  and  clearly  seen, 
stop  the  action  of  the  developer  at  once,  either  by  flowing 
the  plate  immediately  with,  or  plunging  it  into,  water. 
When  once  the  picture  has  in  any  considerable  degree 
passed  the  point  attempted  to  be  described,  the  shadows 
will,  during  all  the  after  treatments,  remain  somewhat 
veiled.  Hence  the  importance  of  using  a  weak  developer, 
that  the  action  of  it  may  not  get  the  advantage  and  pass 
this  critical  point  before  time  shall  be  given  to  arrest  it. 
Until  some  little  practice  has  been  acquired,  the  tendency 
of  the  artist  is  to  over-develope  ;  this  tendency  comes  from 
the  habit  of  developing  the  Ambrotype  to  its  full  propor- 
tions at  once.  But  the  Porcelain  picture  should  not  go 
thus  far,  for  the  fine  delineations  are  more  fully  brought 
out  in  the  after  treatment  of  the  plate.  If  the  shadows 
of  the  negative  have  not  been  too  transparent,  and  the 
proper  time  has  been  given  in  the  Camera,  and  the  develop- 
ment arrested  at  the  exact  point  it  should  have  been,  the 
picture  should  look  somewhat  misty  in  the  shadows  and  its 
general  appearance,  both  before  and  after  fixing,  and 


25 

rather  lighter  than  the  artist  accustomed  to  making  Am- 
brotypes  would  suppose  it  should  be.  Neither  should  it, 
in  coming  from  the  fixing  solution,  have  the  blacks  too  well 
defined,  for  these  are  cleared  up  and  heightened  in  the  pro- 
cess which  follows  the  fixing. 


Chapter  IV. 

FIXING    AND    TONING. 

FIXING   SOLUTION. 

Hypo-Sulphite  of  Soda,  16  oz. ;  Water,  63  oz. 

Dissolve  and  filter. 

REMARKS. — After  development,  the  picture  should  be 
thoroughly  washed  before  being  immersed  in  this  solution, 
and  only  be  allowed  to  remain  in  it  sufficiently  long  to  re- 
move the  yellow  Iodide  of  Silver  film  from  the  plate.  Then 
wrinse  it  well  again  in  a  running  stream  of  water.  If 
these  conveniences  are  not  at  hand,  allow  the  plate  to  re- 
main in  water  long  enough  to  free  it  from  the  Hypo-sul- 
phite. Warm  water  would  facilitate  the  soaking.  Keep 
this  solution  filtered  clean. 

There  is  one  thing  connected  with  handling  this  solution 
that  is  very  important  to  observe.  Although  almost  all 
artists  have  learned,  by  sad  experience,  the  effects  of  Hypo. 
soda,  when  coming  in  contact  with  silver,  yet  in  the  Porce- 
lain process  it  is  necessary  to  be  doubly  guarded.  The 
safest  practice  is  to  wash  the  hands  always  after  having 
them  in  the  Hypo,  soda,  before  collodionizing  a  plate,  and 


26 

especially  when  removing  it  from  the  silver  bath  to  place 
in  the  tablet ;  for  if  there  is  the  least  trace  of  it  remain- 
ing on  the  fingers,  and  it  comes  in  contact  with  the  silver, 
the  plate  will  surely  be  stained  wherever  the  two  solutions 
have  met,  and  you  may  charge  the  same  to  the  bad  condi- 
tion of  the  tablet,  or  to  what  you  please,  the  result  will  be 
a  stain  wherever  these  two  solutions  meet  upon  the  plate, 
and  this  is  one  of  the  kind  of  stains  that  is  the  most  stub- 
born to  remove  ;  and  since  by  care  and  cleanliness,  it  is 
so  easily  prevented,  that  is  the  remedy  I  would  recommend. 
The  silver  bath  is  often  injured  in  a  similar  way,  thus  : 
When  the  fingers  have  Hypo,  soda  upon  them,  the  plate  is 
lifted  from  the  bath  to  examine  and  then  returned  again, 
carrying  a  small  portion  of  soda  with  it ;  a  few  repetitions 
of  this,  and  the  bath  is  not  only  injured,  but  almost  in- 
curable. Nothing  but  a  thorough  cleansing  by  boiling  will 
restore  it. 

TONING  SOLUTION. — No.  1. 
Chloride  of  Gold,  15  grains ;  Distilled  Water,  12 

ounces. 
DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  and  keep  as  a  stock  bottle. 

TONING  SOLUTION. — No.  2. 

Nitrate  of  Uranium,  5  grains;  Bi.  Carbon.  Soda,  20 
grains  ;  Water,  12  ounces. 

DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  the  Bi.  carb.  soda  and  Uranium  in 
the  water,  and  when  wanted  for  use,  pour  out  into  an  egg 
cup  (these  are  most  convenient)  equal  parts  of  No.  1  and 
No.  2  ;  flow  the  plate  with  this  mixture,  after  it  is  thor- 


27 

ougnly  wrinsed  and  freed  from  the  Hypo.  soda.  It  will 
facilitate  the  toning  if  the  solution  is  warmed,  or  the  large 
blaze  of  a  spirit-lamp  held  under  the  plate  while  toning. 
The  plate  should  be  kept  in  agitation,  and  the  toning  con- 
tinued until  the  picture  assumes  a  tolerable  clearness  and 
the  blacks  appear  about  as  deep  as  they  will,  then  wrinse 
the  plate  well. 

REMAKES. — The  reason  for  recommending  flowing  the 
plate  to  tone,  instead  of  immersing  in  a  dish,  is  to  save  the 
gold  solution  ;  for  I  find  the  toning  solution  not  so  good 
after  using  a  few  plates  in  it.  After  the  picture  has  ar- 
rived at  a  certain  point  of  color  in  toning,  if  continued  in 
the  solution,  it  will  fade  and  become  dim.  The  point  where 
the  toning  should  cease,  cannot  be  determined  from  any 
rule,  neither  can  any  language  give  the  idea  correctly. 
Like  many  other  delicate  points  in  this  process,  it  must  be 
learned  by  practice,  unless  pointed  out  by  some  one  who 
has  had  the  practice.  And  let  me  repeat,  that  if  you  can- 
not avail  yourself  of  practical  lessons,  do  not  get  discou- 
raged ;  work  patiently,  and  follow  the  directions  careful 
ly  ;  for  by  so  doing  you  must  succeed.  You  should  have, 
as  an  encouragement,  one  of  the  pictures  I  am  mating  by 
this  process  before  you.  If,  after  toning,  the  details  in  the 
shadows  are  not  quite  clear,  and  the  blacks  well  brought 
out,  flow  over  the  plate,  while  wet,  the  following  solution, 
viz.  : 

Saturated  solution  of  Bi.  chlo.  of  mercury,  -     2  drachms. 
Acetic  Acid,  .s,u  Vm^i-  nD\  3;.n  •  K-  •:-.  "     3        " 
Water,         utl,?,,  ./-,.,    -•,, ,,X:; rJt,,,   T.V      8  oz- 


28 

DIRECTIONS. — To  make  the  saturate  solution  of  Bi.  clilo. 
mercury,  pulverize  one  oz.  of  the  mercury  and  let  it  remain 
in  16  oz.  of  hot  water  for  one  hour,  shaking  occasionally. 
After  using  this  solution  upon  the  plate,  wrinse  thoroughly. 
Its  effect  after  toning,  if  the  other  treatments  have  been 
correct,  is  to  improve  the  blacks  and  sharpen  the  picture. 
If,  however,  these  conditions  are  all  right  without  using 
this  solution,  dispense  with  its  use,  as  it  does  not  improve 
the  durability  of  the  picture.  Even  after  the  plate  has 
been  flowed  with  this  solution,  and  thoroughly  washed, 
the  blacks  may  frequently  be  made  still  stronger  by  flow- 
ing the  plate  with  a  solution  of  Hypo.  soda. 


SECTION  I. 

PERMANENCY  AND   STAINS. 

Hypo.  Sul.  Soda  1  oz. 

Water  -     8  oz. 

In  using  this  solution  (which  can  usually  be  dispensed 
with)  the  utmost  care  should  be  used  to  see  that  the  plate 
has  been  thoroughly  wrinsed,  or  the  soda  is  liable  to  stain  ; 
and  too  much  pains  cannot  be  taken  in  wrinsing,  after  the 
soda  is  used,  that  the  collodion  surface  may  be  entirely 
freed  from  all  traces  of  sulphur.  I  would  recommend, 
even  if  the  soda  be  not  used,  for  safety,  a  running  stream 
on  the  plate  for  15  minutes  or  longer,  or  soaked  in  several 
changes  of  water,  about  that  length  of  time  in  each,  if 
haste  is  not  required  ;  but  if  in  a  hurry,  use  warm  water 
for  soaking.  Yet,  notwithstanding  these  hints  of  caution, 


29 

to  preserve  the  permanency  of  the  impression,  I  doubt  not 
that  by  many  and  perhaps  most  artists,  the  same  disregard 
of  the  consequences  will  follow  in  making  these  pictures, 
that  has  and  does  exist  in  regard  to  the  permanency  of 
the  photograph.  I  can  but  give  the  warning  and  point 
out  the  road  to  safety  ;  then,  if  it  is  not  followed,  and  the 
ghosts  of  departed  patrons  appear  to  you  at  some  future 
day  in  the  form  of  a  faded  likeness  on  Porcelain,  that  you 
will  recollect  once  wore  a  loveliness  in  beauty  far  beyond 
the  painter's  hand  to  reach,  or  the  poet's  pen  to  describe, 
I  am  not  to  blame.  These  pictures  may  be  made  as  per- 
manent as  any  other  style  of  photograph,  and  it  is  usually 
the  artist's  fault  that  ambrotypes  and  photographs  fade. 
The  means  of  destruction,  however,  is  sometimes  in  the 
paper  and  mode  of  preparing  it,  but  never  in  the  Porcelain. 
•'•'']-{f-  '  'nyf-Ml  .?<"-:  i;:  iHiw  I'ijJq  '••'*  \}..;'nn>\\  lot  nw 

To  REMOVE  STAINS. 

It  sometimes  happens  through  carelessness  or  inexpe- 
rience, that  stains  appear  on  some  part  of  the  plate,  that 
are  destructive  to  the  picture  until  removed.  By  observing 
the  foregoing  directions  of  cleanliness,  stains  will  usually 
be  prevented,  and  by  observing  the  following,  they  can 
usually  be  removed,  viz.  : 

Tincture  of  Iodine,  ~  -  ,      1  oz. 


,  No.  1. 
Alcohol  95  per  ct.,     -         -j     ^ -^       -     3  oz. 

BISECTIONS. — To  make  the  Tincture  of  Iodine,  add  to 
each  ounce  alcohol  40  grs  of  dry  Iodine  ;  let  it  stand  3 
hours,  shaking  occasionally. 


SUJO  AH 3  MAO 


30 

Saturated  solution  of  Cyanide  of  Potassium  in  ^ 

water,  -     4  drachms.     >  No.  2. 

Alcohol,  3  oz.  ) 

DIRECTIONS. — After  fixing  and  toning,  if  stains  are  to  be 
removed,  flow  the  plate  first  with  alcohol,  (while  still  wet 
with  water,)  and  keep  the  plate  in  motion  until  the  alcohol 
will  run  off  and  leave  the  plate  smooth  ;  then  carefully  a,pply 
No.  1  solution  to  the  stained  part  only,  being  very  careful 
not  to  let  any  of  this  solution  extend  on  to  the  picture. 
Then  pour  on  to  the  same  spot,  of  No.  2,  and  the  stains  will 
be  removed,  leaving  the  plate  very  clean  and  white  where- 
ever  it  is  applied.  The  above  solutions  are  plenty  strong 
enough  for  general  use  ;  but  if  any  stains  are  so  stubborn 
as  to  resist  it,  add  to  No.  1  more  Tine,  of  Iodine,  and  to 
No.  2  more  of  the  Cyanide  of  potassium.  The  only  rea- 
son for  flowing  the  plate  with  alcohol,  before  applying  these 
STAIN  KILLERS,  is  that  they  may  be  poured  on  without 
spreading  beyond  the  spot  desired.  Without  this  previous 
preparation,  when  the  alcohol  in  them  comes  in  contact 
with  the  water  on  the  plate,  it  would  be  attracted  by  it  and 
run  to  portions  of  the  plate  that  might  spoil  the  picture. 
If  any  very  light  stains,  or  delicate  parts  of  the  picture  or 
even  the  vignetting,  are  desired  to  be  removed,  pour  out 
a  little  of  No.  1  in  an  egg  cup  and  reduce  it  with  an  equal 
quantity  of  alcohol.  Do  the  same  with  No.  2,  and  use  with 
care.  By  patience  and  nice  manipulations,  almost  any 
objectionable  part  of  the  picture  may  be  removed ;  and  if 
these  latter  reduced  solutions  be  still  reduced  by  an  equal 
volume  of  alcohol,  the  delicate  vignetting  of  the  picture 


CAMERA  CLUB  LIBRARY 

Catalogued  &  Indexed  193O  by 
Hal.  D.  Bernstein,  Librarian 
31 

may  be  blended  at  will  by  removing  a  part  of  the  dark 
portions  around  the  edge.  The  alcohol  used  in  these  so- 
lutions and  for  flowing  the  plate  with,  may  be  of  the 
poorer  quality,  except  that  in  which  the  Iodine  is  dissolved 
that  should  be  of  the  best.  In  order  to  get  delicate  vig- 
netting upon  the  background  of  the  picture,  the  negative 
should  be  made  on  a  light  background. 


Chapter   V. 

COLORING  AND  FINISHING. ' 

We  have  now  arrived  at  that  most  interesting  point 
when  the  Porcelain  picture  is  to  receive  its  final  finish,  and 
when,  if  in  the  hands  of  an  artist  of  taste,  at  least  one 
hundred  per  cent  may  be  added  to  its  beauty  with  the  cost 
of  a  few  minutes  labor  and  a  little  dry  colors,  on  a  coating 
of  the  COLOR  ADHESIVE,  sold  by  Willard  &  Co.,  and,  I  pre- 
sume, by  stock  dealers  generally.  This  liquid  is  invaluable 
and  quite  indispensable,  if  colors  are  to  be  put  on  evenly, 
brilliantly,  and  to  remain  as  permanently  as  either  water 
or  oil  colors.  This  preparation  does  at  least  for  the 
Porcelain  picture,  the  ambrotype  and  photograph  all  it 
claims,  so  far  as  its  adaptation  to  dry  colors  is  concerned. 
If  the  picture  is  to  receive  its  final  finish  without  color, 
then,  after  wrinsing  the  plate  as  above  directed,  and  while 
wet,  flow  with  alcohol,  and  let  it  remain  on  the  plate  as 
before  directed  until  it  has  become  perfectly  united  with 
the  water ;  then  pour  off,  and  before  the  plate  begins  to 


AHHMAO 

O€9!  bexs 


sdma     , 

32 

dry,  flow  with  some  hard,  transparent  alcoholic  varnish.  I 
prefer  Willard  &  Co.'s  Union  Gilding,  for  it  gives  a  more 
hard  and  smooth  surface  than  any  other. 

If  you  desire  to  color  the  picture,  then,  after  wrinsing  or 
soaking  as  before  said,  let  the  plate  dry,  and  when  COLD, 
flow  with  the  Color  Adhesive,  pouring  it  on  and  off  as 
quickly  as  possible  ;  let  it  dry,  and  apply  the  colors  while 
the  plate  is  a  little  warm.  It  is  well  to  let  the  plate  lie, 
while  coloring,  on  a  block  of  wood  or  marble,  moderately 
warm.  Use  pencils  of  soft  Sable's  hair,  repeating  the 
coatings  of  color  until  as  brilliant  as  desired,  rubbing  the 
colors  in  well  with  the  brush.  Then  flow  while  dry  and 
warm,  with  the  same  Gilding  or  Varnish  as  before  named. 
If  the  colors  have  been  well  and  tastefully  applied,  their 
brilliancy  and  permanency  on  the  Color  Adhesive,  after  the 
Gilding  has  been  applied,  renders  it  difficult  to  tell  how 
they  are  colored,  and  the  colors  are  capable  of  so  fine  a 
blending  that  most  patrons  would  prefer  them  colored  thus 
than  to  have  them  worked  up  at  great  cost  by  stippling 
with  water  colors.  When  varnishing,  select  a  place  free 
from  dust.  As  it  is  difficult  to  filter  the  Color  Adhesive, 
keep  it  corked  and  free  from  dust.  The  greatest  propor- 
tion of  those  who  most  liberally  patronize  the  Photographic 
art,  are  of  that  class  who  never  refuse  to  have  their  beauty 
represented  in  its  most  favorabe  light,  and  those,  too, 
artists  usually  love  to  flatter.  There  never  before  has 
been  a  style  of  picture  that  would  admit  of  so  much  flattery 
as  the  Porcelain  picture  will.  The  plain  picture,  without 
color,  gives  a  delicacy  of  complexion  that  is  not  possessed 


33 

even  by  the  most  beautiful  lady,  or  even  the  pure  and 
alabaster  whiteness  of  the  child,  yet  this  same  beauty  of 
complexion  is  given  to  all,  however  coarse  their  features 
and  dark  their  complexion.  In  this  respect  these  pictures 
are  untruthful,  and  even  the  more  generally  desired  for  it, 
because  as  a  likeness  otherwise  they  have  all  the  accuracy 
that  the  camera  imparts  to  other  styles  of  portraiture.  And 
we  have  never  yet  found  the  first  customer,  either  lady  or 
gentleman,  who  felt  insulted,  or  even  manifested  a  dis- 
pleasure because  these  pictures  flattered  them,  and  rarely 
one  that  would  acknowledge  THEIRS  did.  Yet  all,  without 
an  exception,  regard  them  as  the  most  flattering  picture 
ever  made.  They  are  the  only  production  of  the  camera 
that  will  give  a  clear  sharp  picture  of  a  freckled  person, 
without  seeming  to  multiply  the  freckles,  and  improve  their 
quality.  And  we  all  know,  (for  we  have  been  told  it 
often,)  that  the  sitter  is  "  much  more  freckled  to-day  than 
common,  and  they  never  show — only  at  this  season  of  the 
year."  All  customers  desire  to  have  these  beauty-spots 
left  off  from  their  likeness,  and  with  the  Porcelain  picture 
it  is  easily  done.  Make  for  such  subjects  a  negative  a 
little  more  intense  than  usual,  and  print  the  picture  rather 
light  and  unless  the  freckles  are  very  bad,  they  will  not 
appear  ;  and  if  they  do,  a  little  "  touching  out"  on  the 
negative  will  do  away  with  all.  As  before  said,  the  plain 
picture  is  highly  flattering  to  any  complexion,  but  if  you 
would  still  add  flattery  to  flattery,  a  little  delicate  coloring 
will  do  it.  But  unless  good  taste  is  used  in  the  selection 
of  colors,  the  picture  will  not  be  improved.  More  failures 


34 

are  made  in  the  choice  of  colors  for  the  flesh  than  in  any 
other  way,  and  the  boxes  or  bottles  usually  sold  for  flesh 
colors  are  nothing  like  as  good  as  can  be  made  from  a 
proper  mixture  of  colors  usually  contained  in  each  box  of 
dry  colors  sold  by  stock  dealers.  The  proper  mixture  of 
colors  is  another  of  those  difficult  things  to  give  any  rule 
for,  or  to  give  proper  written  instructions.  In  fact,  it  can- 
not be  done ;  the  best  that  can  be  done,  is  to  name  the 
colors  to  be  mixed,  to  form  a  general  color,  and  leave  the 
artist  to  determine  the  shade  required,  or  apply  to  some 
one  more  skilled  than  himself  to  do  the  work,  or  give  him 
practical  instructions. 

DRY  COLORS. 

Mix  Indian  red,  rouge,  carmine,  yellow,  and  white  for 
flesh ;  mix  blue  and  carmine  for  purple ;  mix  blue  and 
rouge  for  middle  tints  of  shadows  ;  blue  and  yellow  for 
green ;  brown  and  yellow  for  auburn  hair ;  brown  and 
black  for  black  hair ;  brown  and  bt.  sienna  for  furniture  ; 
brown  and  Indian  red  for  flesh  shadows. 

WATER  COLORS. 

Mix  carmine  and  Indian  yellow  for  flesh  ;  carmine  and 
Prussian  blue  for  purple ;  gamboge  and  Prussian  blue  for 
Green ;  dark-brown  and  Naples  yellow  for  hair. 

Dark-brown  alone  gives  good  effect.  For  furniture,  use 
Winsor  and  Newton's  water  color  paints ;  get  the  genuine, 
and  there  is  no  better.  The  six  cakes  named  above  will  be 
all  that  are  necessary  for  general  use.  - 

The  best  method  of  mixing  water  colors,  either  for  use 


35 

on  albumen  prints  or  on  the  Color  Adhesive,  is  as  follows, 
viz.  : 

Albumen     -        -        -        1  oz. 

~i««  :<   ff  ':{</••:>•// iiov  oyj;nj 

Water    -  ti.  -[,;-.,-.  ^  -   2  drachms. 

Aqua  Ammonia  1         " 

Chloride  "  -  -  .]  -  lOgrs. 
DIRECTIONS. — Beat  the  white  of  eggs  as  before  described, 
add  the  water,  Aqua  ammonia  and  Chlo.  ammonia,  arid  keep 
this  solution  well  corked  and  free  from  dust.  To  use,  keep 
also  at  hand  a  small  bottle  of  clear  Aqua  ammonia.  Drop 
upon  some  white  earthen  dish  or  piece  of  Porcelain  plate, 
one  or  two  drops  of  the  Albumen  mixture,  and  one  or 
two  drops  of  the  Ammonia.  Now  rub  whatever  color  de- 
sired off  in  this  mixture,  thicken  with  the  Albumen,  or 
thin  with  the  Ammonia  solutions,  according  to  the  body  of 
color  to  be  used.  For  example — if  it  is  a  curtain  or  dress 
to  be  colored  bright  red,  use  about  two  parts  of  the  albu- 
men solution  to  one  of  the  Ammonia,  and  rub  the  cake  of 
carmine  in  it  until  the  color  is  sufficiently  thick,  so  that 
when  applied  with  the  brush  to  the  Albumen  or  Porcelain 
picture,  the  color  is  brilliant  enough  at  the  first  coating. 
Again,  if  it  is  the  face,  neck,  arms,  etc.,  that  is  to  be 
colored,  when  the  thinnest  wash  is  to  be  used,  drop  one 
part  of  the  Albumen  mixture  and  two  parts  of  the  Am- 
monia on  the  earthen  or  glass  pallet,  and  rub  in  it  a  very 
little  of  carmine  and  still  less  of  Indian  yellow  ;  let  the 
print  lay  level  before  you,  and  apply  the  color  all  over  the 
flesh,  regardless  of  the  eyes.  To  heighten  the  color  of 
the  cheeks,  take  in  a  small  brush  a  little  deeper  color  of 


36 

the  carmine,  and  while  the  previous  flesh  color  is  yet  lying 
wet  on  the  face,  barely  touch  this  stronger  color  to  the 
place  you  would  have  it,  and  it  will  immediately  blend  off 
more  beautifully  than  it  is  possible  to  blend  by  any  other 
mode  of  coloring,  if  the  first  that  was  put  on  was  used  thin 
and  plentifully.  Just  before  the  color  is  fairly  set  and  dry, 
take  a  clean  brush,  slightly  wet  in  the  Ammonia  solution, 
and  with  a  light  touch  all  the  color  can  be  removed  from 
the  eyes,  or  the  high-lights  on  the  nose  or  wherever  de- 
sired. Two  or  three  cautions  observed,  and  a  little  prac- 
tice, we  think,  will  enable  any  tasteful  artist  to  conduct 
this  simple  mode  of  painting  both  with  surprise  and  satis- 
faction to  himself.  The  colors,  when  dry,  should  have  the 
same  gloss  when  viewed  by  looking  transversely  across  the 
picture,  that  the  uncolored  portions  have.  And  as  the 
gloss  will  depend  upon  the  amount  of  the  Albumen  solu- 
tion used,  it  is  only  necessary  to  observe  that  the  thinner 
the  wash  of  color  the  greater  may  be  the  amount  of  Am- 
monia solution  used,  and  still  preserve  the  gloss.  Many 
of  the  Albumen  liquid  colors  sold  look  bronzed  on  drying. 
The  kind  of  coloring  here  explained  never  bronzes,  and 
will  remain  without  fading  equal  to  any  other  preparation, 
and  on  the  score  of  economy  has  vastly  the  advantage  of 
all  others,  for  the  whole  number  of  cakes  of  paint  used 
costs  less  than  one  box  of  the  liquid  colors,  and  is  sufficient 
to  make  the  amount  of  color  in  at  least  one  hundred  boxes. 
If  the  desired  color  is  not  obtained  at  the  first  trial,  it  can 
be  removed  with  a  wet  brush,  yet  the  finished  job  is  never 
so  good  as  when  the  right  colors  are  used  the  first  time. 


37 

Get  the  proper  amount  on,  of  whatever  color  is  to  be  used 
at  first,  for  a  second  coating  cannot  be  applied  very  well 
after  the  first  is  dry. 


Chapter   VI. 

TRANSPARENCIES,   ENLARGEMENTS   AND 
MISCELLANIES. 

STEEEOSCOPIC  TBANSPAEENT  POSITIVES. 

We  lay  no  claim  to  any  new  process  chemically  of  pro- 
ducing these  pictures.  The  only  improvement  we  claim  is 
our  Camera  Attachment,  in  which  to  produce  them.  The 
Formula  is  doubtless  familiar  to  most  artists.  Our  large 
sized  Camera  Attachment  is  constructed  to  receive  the 
Stereoscope  plate  ;  all  the  arrangements  of  the  Camera  and 
lens  are  to  be  just  the  same  as  for  producing  the  Porcelain 
pictures  ;  the  negative  is  to  be  put  in  the  same  place  and 
in  the  same  way,  viz. :  The  collodion  side  towards  the 
lenses.  The  glass,  however,  on  which  they  are  to  be  made 
should  be  as  clear  and  transparent  as  possible.  The  col- 
lodionizing,  developing  and  fixing  is  the  same  as  for  an 
ambrotype,  except  that  the  light  of  the  dark  room  should 
be  so  arranged  that  it  may  fall  upon  the  picture  in  such  a 
way  to  present  it  as  a  transparency  while  developing,  for 
the  object  sought  is  a  bright,  transparent  picture  without 
fogging,  and  the  shades  deep  and  distinct,  regardless  of 
the  surface  view.  The  negative  from  which  these  are  to 
be  made,  should  be  quite  the  reverse  from  those  described 


38 

as  being  the  best  for  the  Porcelain  process  ;  for  the  nega- 
tive for  transparencies  should  have  their  shadows  quite 
transparent. 

Such  negatives  are  best  produced  with  an  intense  col- 
lodion, short  exposure  and  a  developer  quite  strong  with 
iron  and  Acetic  acid,  and  the  development  stopped  just 
where  the  veiling  begins.  After  the  negative  is  fixed,  if 
sufficiently  intense,  flow  with  a  solution  of  Iodine  in  Iodide 
of  Potassium  for  a  few  moments,  agitating  the  plate  during 
this  operation,  which  must  be  short ;  now  wash  and  fix 
again  with  Cyanide  of  Potasium.  The  negative  will  not 
appear  very  transparent  in  the  shadows,  if  the  operation 
has  been  well  performed.  Be  careful  not  to  leave  the 
Iodine  solution  on  so  long  as  to  destroy  the  middle  tints 
in  the  shadows.  These  negatives  are  better  without  varn- 
ishing. 

The  color  of  the  positive,  when  viewed  by  transmitted 
light,  is  a  matter  of  some  importonce ;  therefore,  after 
fixing  and  washing,  flow  over  the  plate  a  saturated  solu- 
tion of  Bichloride  of  mercury.  As  soon  as  the  plate  is 
blackened,  pour  off  the  mercury  and  wash  again ;  then 
dissolve  100  grs.  Cyanide  of  potassium  in  2  oz.  water  and 
Nitrate  of  silver.  As  long  as  the  precipitate  dissolves, 
filter  and  flow  the  plate,  and  the  picture  becomes  of  a  very 
intense  black.  Use  this  solution  over  until  exhausted. 
Wash  the  plate  thoroughly,  and  again  fix  with  Hyposul- 
phite of  soda  (not  Cyanide.)  Wash  dry  and  varnish,  and 
the  picture  is  ready  for  putting  up. 


HSU  SUJO  ASHMAO 

'tst  OSS!  JwsbnJ  *  bauaoUteo 

39' 

ENLARGEMENTS. 

In  the  preceding  portion  of  our  Formula  we  have  de- 
ferred to  treat  upon  the  enlargement  of  Porcelain  pictures, 
because  so  far  as  the  arrangement  of  the  camera  is  con- 
cerned, it  just  as  properly  comes  under  the  present  head, 
viz. :  The  Enlargement  of  Negatives. 

Remove  the  vignetting  apparatus  from  the  Camera  At- 
tachment, if  enlargement  without  vignetting  is  desired,  or 
simply  take  the  blender  from  it,  and  slide  the  frame  so 
near  the  tube  that  no  eifect  is  produced  from  it  on  the 
plate. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  artist  is  desirous  of  en- 
larging from  his  card  negatives,  where  two  or  four  are  on 
the  plate,  without  cutting  it.  This  can  easily  be  done 
without  marring  the  box,  by  appending  a  rack  to  receive 
the  negative.  When  the  negative  is  thus  in  its  place,  the 
enlargement  is  effected  by  closing  up  the  bellows  of  the 
Camera  Attachment,  and  extending  that  of  the  camera  to 
which  it  is  attached.  The  nearer  the  negative  is  made  to 
approach  the  front  end  of  the  tube,  the  farther  must  the 
ground-glass  at  the  opposite  end  be  from  it  to  receive  the 
image  in  focus,  and  the  greater  will  be  the  enlargement ; 
and  also,  the  farther  the  negative  is  carried  from  the  front 
lenses,  the  nearer  the  ground-glass  must  approach  the  back 
lenses,  and  the  smaller  will  be  the  image.  Use  a  very 
small  diaphragm.  If  the  enlargement  is  for  a  Porcelain 
picture,  the  mode  of  producing  is  already  described ;  if 
for  a  negative,  and  your  copying  box  is  of  sufficient  ex- 
tension to  produce  the  size  required  at  once,  then  it  is  best 


CAMERA  CLUB  LIBRARY 

Catalogued  &  Indexed  193O  by 
Hal.  D.  Bernstein,  Librarian 

to  make  the  first  production  only  about  the  size  of  the 
original ;  for  there  are  to  be  two  operations  to  reproduce 
a  negative.  In  each  operation  a  plate  is  collodionized  as 
for  an  ambrotype,  with  the  exposure,  development  and  fix- 
ing the  same.  The  opaque  and  transparent  parts  of  the 
first  impression  are  of  course  directly  the  reverse  of  the 
negative.  Then  this  picture  being  put  in  the  place  the 
negative  occupied,  the  camera  arranged  for  enlarging  it, 
and  the  proceeding  the  same  as  before,  the  enlarged  pic- 
ture will  be  the  negative  required.  It  is  quite  difficult  to 
get  a  sharp  focus  on  these  enlargements,  therefore  it  is 
best  to  use  a  microscope.  It  is  also  quite  essential  that 
the  negative  be  perfectly  parallel  with  the  ground-glass 
and  with  the  plate  in  the  tablet.  It  is  not  essential  to 
varnish  the  first  impression.  The  collodion  side  should  in 
all  cases  be  towards  the  lenses,  unless  the  final  picture  is 
desired  to  be  reversed. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

The  following  are  new  and  valuable  receipts.  Let  no 
artist  fail  to  try  the  process  described  for  enameling  pho- 
tographs. 

NEGATIVE  VARNISH. 
2  oz.  White  Gum  Shelac  ;  16  oz.  Alcohol ;  &  oz.  Saiida- 

rack  ;  15  drops  Oil  of  Cloves. 

DIRECTIONS. — Dissolve  and  add :  2  drachms  Aqua  Am- 
monia ;  2  drachms  Chloroform. 

AMBROTYPE  COLLODION. 

Alcohol,  7  oz.  ;   Ether,  10  oz. ;   Iodide  Potassium,  4  grs.  ; 
Iodide  Cadmium,  4  grs. ;  Bromide  Potassium,  2  grs. 


A  HSU  H  i  * 


is»jg<i 

DIRECTIONS.  —  Dissolve  the  Bromide  first  in  as  little 
water  as  possible,  then  the  Iodide  in  the  same,  and  lastly 
the  Cadmium. 

ENAMELING  PHOTOGRAPHS  —  No.  1. 
Alcohol  1  oz.  ;  Nitric  Acid  8  drops. 

ENAMELING  PHOTOGRAPHS  —  -No.  2. 
Alcohol  12  oz.;  Ether  10  oz.  ;  Gun  Cotton  130  grs. 

ENAMELING  PHOTOGRAPHS.  —  No.  3 
Cox  Gelatine  1  oz.  ;  Water  10  oz. 

DIRECTIONS.  —  Take  fine  plate-glass,  and  flow  with  No.  1 
and  let  it  dry  ;  then  flow  with  No.  2,  and  let  this  also  re- 
main until  entirely  dry,  and  finally  apply  No.  3,  with  a 
soft  brush,  or  flow  and  let  the  plate  set  until  this  last  coat- 
ing is  sticky  ;  then  put  the  photograph  on,  after  soaking 
it  in  water,  laying  it  down  so  as  to  exclude  as  much  as  pos- 
sible air  bubbles,  and  roll  over  the  back  with  a  blotting 
roller  to  remove  what  bubbles  remain.  Let  it  stand  four 
or  five  hours,  or  until  dry.  It  will,  when  dry,  usually  com- 
mence a  voluntary  peeling  off  at  the  edges.  If  well  done, 
the  photograph  will  have  the  finest  polish  imaginable. 

REMARKS.  —  If,  before  the  Albumen  photograph  is  sub- 
jected to  the  above  operation,  it  be  treated  in  the  follow- 
ing manner,  you  will  have,  when  the  two  are  combined,  a 
colored  photograph  in  the  highest  possible  finish,  viz.  :  Lay 
the  photograph  down  flat,  by  wetting  it  and  sticking  the 
edges,  while  wet,  to  a  glass  or  flat  board  withGum  Arabic, 
so  that,  when  dry  again,  it  will  lay  flat  and  smooth.  Now 
flow  with  the  Color  Adhesive,  and  when  dry,  color  with 


42 

dry  colors,  and  remove  from  the  glass  or  board  with  the 
point  of  a  penknife,  and  subject  it  to  the  enameling  as  be- 
fore described. 

POECELAINS  BY   CONTACT. 

From  some  experiments  made,  which  we  have  not  had 
time  as  yet  to  carry  to  any  considerable  degree  of  satis- 
faction, it  has  been  made  evident  that  Porcelain  pictures 
may  be  made  upon  albumenized  plates,  prepared  and  treat- 
ed similar  to  albumenized  paper,  and  also  by  the  Tannin 
process  as  described  by  Russell.  If  we  should  not  suc- 
ceed in  making  the  contact  process  a  practical  one,  we 
hope  some  one  may.  But  there  are  some  objections  to  it, 
which  it  is  impossible  ever  to  overcome,  that  are  not  con- 
nected with  the  process  herein  given.  Every  ]  licture  made 
by  the  contact  process  must  of  course  be  a  duplicate  of  the 
negative,  therefore  cannot  be  enlarged  or  diminished,  ex- 
cept a  negative  be  first  made  enlarged  or  diminished  by 
means  of  the  Camera  Attachment,  as  before  described.  It 
is  also  difficult  to  get  a  clear  contact  between  two  glass 
surfaces.  Yet  we  have  a  very  simple  piece  of  apparatus 
almost  completed,  that  will  nearly,  if  not  wholly,  over- 
come this  last  objection,  and  if  it  proves  a  success,  you 
may  hear  from  us  again  soon. 

PORCELAINS  WITHOUT  DEVELOPMENT. 
This  is  also  another  process  of  producing  Porcelain  pic- 
tures, which  we  have  been  unable,  as  yet,  to  make  of  prac- 
tical utility.     We  expect  to  continue  our  experiments,  fol- 
lowing up  these  and  other  channels  ;  but  until  we  shall 


43 

find  a  better  process  than  the  one  with  which  we  have  pre- 
sented you  in  detail,  we  shall  not  abandon,  but  endeavor 
to  improve  it.  We  have  found  all  other  processes,  so  far, 
not  only  more  difficult,  but  inferior.  To  produce  a  Porce- 
lain picture  without  development,  or  more  properly,  with 
the  development  conducted  in  the  Camera,  or  at  the  same 
time  of  the  exposure,  prepare  and  coat  a  plate  in  the  sil- 
ver bath,  as  before  described  ;  then  flow  the  plate  with  a 
solution  of  Gallic  acid,  from  one  to  three  grains  to  the  oz. 
of  water  ;  make  the  exposure  either  by  contact  or  in  the 
Camera,  and  the  image  is  seen  upon  the  plate  as  soon  as 
it  is  removed.  Fix  and  tone  as  before  directed. 


4 


44 


In  using  the  Opal  Varnish  for  coloring  on  Porcelain  or 
Ambrotype  plates  (instead  of  letting  the  plate  dry  as  be- 
fore directed)  after  fixing,  toning  and  wrinsing  well,  while 
the  plate  is  still  wet,  flow  with  a  well-filtered  solution,  Al- 
bumen, 1  oz.,  water,  10  oz.  Then  let  it  dry  gradually 
where  no  particles  of  dust  can  adhere  to  its  surface.  When 
dry,  flow  evenly  with  the  Opal  Yarnish,  and  let  it  dry 
again  free  from  dust  and  apply  the  dry  colors  as  before 
directed. 

If  any  very  brilliant  effects  of  color  are  desired,  flow 
with  the  varnish  a  second  time  as  soon  as  the  first  coating 
is  dry.  For  coloring  the  flesh,  and  such  portions  as  need 
but  little  color  and  carefully  blended,  they  may  be  best  ap- 
plied without  the  plate  being  warm ;  but  for  drapery,  and 
where  a  heavy  body  is  required,  by  keeping  the  plate  warm 
while  coloring,  and  rubbing  it  in  well,  a  brilliancy  may  be 
obtained  that  will  compare  favorably  with  water  or  oil 
colors.  Get  good  dry  colors — I  use  Williard's,  and  can 
recommend  them.  Finish  by  flowing  with  J.  A.  Maggini's 
Ambrotype  Varnish,  or  some  other  as  clear  and  hard. 

PICTURES  ON  GROUND  GLASS. 

Beautiful  pictures  for  transparencies  may  be  produced 
on  ground  glass  by  making  them  in  all  respects  according 
to  the  Formula  for  making  Porcelains. 


45 

If  made  on  ground  Porcelain  plates,  (opal  glass,)  they 
may  be  colored  with  water  colors  mixed  with  Gum  Arabic 
colors,  and  stippled ;  and  when  well  done  they  have  every 
appearance  of  the  finest  ivory  miniatures. 

These  may  be  colored  in  the  Gum  Arabic  colors,  with 
or  without  the  opal  varnish ;  but  it  is  best,  as  above  di- 
rected, to  flow  with  the  albumen  mixture.  If  dry  colors 
are  to  be  applied,  proceed  the  same,  as  above  directed. 

To  grind  the  glass,  lay  it  on  some  flat  surface  and  take 
a  thick  piece  of  glass,  about  an  inch  square,  and  rub  the 
two  surfaces  together,  wet  with  the  flower  of  emory,  mixed 
with  water  to  about  the  consistency  of  paste. 

A  silver  bath,  made  as  before  described,  except  the  use 
of  1  drachm  of  C.  P.  Nitric  Acid  to  every  16  oz.  solution, 
in  place  of  the  Acetic  Acid,  is  better  where  intense  nega- 
tives are  to  be  used  for  making  the  Porcelain  pictures. 

Fine  gradations  in  vignetting  may  be  made  by  the  use 
of  perforated  paper,  such  as  ladies  use  for  working  worsted 
on.  Several  openings  may  be  made,  of  various  sizes,  and 
one  over-lapping  the  other,  so  as  to  admit  of  unobstructed 
light  at  the  smallest  opening,  (which  may  be  broken  up 
with  points,)  and  gradually  less  from  the  centre  outwards. 


WILLARD  &  CO. 


Photographic  Warehouse, 


522    BROADWAY, 


Opposite  St.  Nicholas  Hotel,  JNE  W-YORK. 


MANUFACTURERS  AND  DEALERS  IN 


OF  EVERY  DESCRIPTION. 


Orders  respectfully  SoiidtecL, 
(Promptly. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


CHARGE-URL 
.JUL2GI978 

!L  17  1978 


OlSCHARGE-llflL 

£  «*  1  9 
FEB  1  7  19] 


Form  L9-32m-8,'57(C8680s4)444 


. 

LOS 


495   Formal*  for  mk- 
}3f  ing  porcelain 
pictures 


TR 

495 

R33f 


